The Palm Coast City Council holds a 9 a.m. workshop at City Hall in Town Center. On the agenda: a presentation on the public works master plan (the city is planning a $6 million reconstruction and expansion of the public works grounds on U.S. 1). Commissioners will discuss the city’s capital improvement budget for the coming year, and the next phase in a “traffic optimization” plan, which has so far cost half a million dollars, and will add about $160,000 more. Council members will also discuss a deal that would have the Golden Lion restaurant of Flagler Beach manager the food concessions at Palm Harbor Golf Club, the city’;s troubled facility. It is uncertain where the elephant in the room will roam during this meeting, if at all: the council is not scheduled to meet in special session to decide Manager Jim Landon’s fate until Aug. 3.

The Flagler County School Board holds a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. in board chambers at the Government Services Building, Bunnell, to tentatively adopt the school property tax rate for next year. The school board’s role is exclusively ceremonial: it has no say in the property tax rate, which is set by the state Legislature and essentially forced on local districts. The hearing is ultimately meaningless, as public say, if there is any (there usually is not, residents having caught on to the futility years ago) will not–cannot–change the outcome one way or the other. But state law requires the hearing to be held, and requires the district to spend money advertising it, and using up its board members time and that of staffers to go through the motions.

Announcements:

Section of St. Joe Walkway to close temporarily for reconstruction

An approximately ½-mile section of St. Joe Walkway – one of Palm Coast’s most popular trails – will be closed beginning Monday, July 24, to allow for reconstruction of the multi-use pathway. The portion to be closed is from eastbound Palm Coast Parkway to the Intracoastal Waterway, in the vicinity of Canopy Walk. Detour signs will be posted for bicyclists and pedestrians, taking them on a nearby trail route to Palm Harbor Parkway and the Hammock Bridge trailhead. Access along the Intracoastal Waterway between Hammock Bridge and Waterfront Park will remain open for now. However, as the project progresses, a portion of that section of the trail will be closed temporarily. The pathway must be reconstructed because it has cracks and damage from tree roots. City of Palm Coast crews will do most of the work, and then the repaving will be done by Halifax Paving. The project is expected to take several weeks. The City of Palm Coast appreciates the patience to trail-users as we complete this important trail reconstruction project. For more information, call Palm Coast Customer Service at 386-986-2360.

PRIMARY ELECTIONS IS SD 40, HD 116: Special primary elections will be held in Miami-Dade County’s Senate District 40 and House District 116. Republican Frank Artiles resigned from the Senate District 40 seat in April, prompting the need for a special election. Republican Jose Feliz Diaz resigned from the House District 116 seat to run in the Senate district, leading to the special election in his House district. Diaz, former Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla and attorney Lorenzo Palomares are running in the Republican primary in Senate District 40, while former state Rep. Ana Rivas Logan and 2014 lieutenant-governor candidate Annette Taddeo are running in the Democratic primary. In House District 116, Jose Mallea and Daniel Anthony Perez are running in the Republican primary, with the winner facing Democrat Gabriela Mayaudon in the Sept. 26 general election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Texting while driving: State Rep. Emily Slosberg, D-Boca Raton, will appear at a Boca Raton City Council meeting as part of an effort to change state law to make texting while driving a primary offense. Such a change would allow police to pull over motorists for violating the state’s ban on texting while driving. Currently, drivers can only be cited if they are stopped for other reasons. (6 p.m., Boca Raton City Hall, 201 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton.)

♦ May 23: The Flagler Chamber's Common Ground Breakfast features a 2019 Legislative Update with Sen. Travis Hutson and Rep. Paul Renner at the Hilton Garden Inn, 55 Town Center Dr., Palm Coast, Checkin begins at 7:30, breakfast starts promptly at 8.
♦ May 23: Flagler Lifeline, a volunteer committee and Flagler Cares affiliate established to broaden conversation and awareness of suicide, will host a public town hall event at 6 p.m. at the Flagler County Association of Realtors building, 4101 East Moody Blvd. in Bunnell. The Town Hall will feature presentations by mental health experts, suicide survivors and others who have been touched by suicide, and will be facilitated by Colleen Conklin, the long-time school board member and one of Flagler Lifeline’s founders. For the past several years Conklin has hosted periodic events, including electronic town halls, to bring awareness to bullying and suicide prevention. The May 23 town hall, like Flagler Lifeline's emergence, is partly a result of Flagler County's place in 2017 as the county with the leading suicide rate in the state, proportional to its population. See the background story here.
♦ May 23: The Flagler Beach City Commission meets at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 105 South Second Street. Commissioners will consider making the city a member of the American Flood Coalition.
♦ May 23: The Palm Coast Beautification and Environmental Advisory Committee meets at 5 p.m. at City Hall in Town Center. An agenda had not been posted online as of May 18.
♦ May 23: The Wadsworth Elementary School Advisory Council and PTO meet at 6 p.m. in the school’s media center.
♦ May 23: Palm Coast Artist and 2011 Flagler County Artist of the Year Weldon Ryan hosts a meet and great at the Bronze Kingdom African Art Gallery, 3201 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, from 6 to 9 p.m. Wine and cheese, 15 percent off on all of Weldon's works.
♦ May 23-26: "Southern Fried Funeral," a play at the Daytona Playhouse, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Adults $20, Seniors 55 and up, $18, Youths 18 and under $8. Address: 100 Jessamine Blvd., Daytona Beach, or see directions here. Buy tickets online here. Box office: 386-255-2431.
♦ May 24: Flagler County Emergency Management chief Jonathan Lord hosts a media roundtable at noon on the upcoming hurricane season, at the Emergency Operations Center, 1769 E. Moody Blvd, Bldg. 3 (behind the Government Services Building), Bunnell.
♦ May 24: Butterfly Walk at Washington Oaks Gardens State Park, 6400 North Oceanshore Blvd., 10 a.m. Join a ranger at 2 p.m. for a walk through our historical gardens. Learn about the history of our park while exploring the beauty of the formal gardens, with an emphasis on butterflies. The walk is approximately 1 hour. Please bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes. Meet in the garden parking lot. Garden walk included with park entry. No registration required.
♦ May 25: Pool Safety Day at Palm Coast's Freeda Zamba pool, 339 Parkview Drive, open to all ages, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event is designed to teach the importance and seriousness of safety, but while having fun and participating in activities that children will remember. Florida is one of two states that lead the nation with at least 21 fatal child drownings last summer, according to a report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission and USA Swimming Foundation. About ten people die every day from unintentional drowning and of these, two will be children age 14 or younger, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fee is $1 for seniors and youth age 17 and under. It is $2 for adults.
♦ May 27: Memorial Day, 8 a.m. start time at Heroes Memorial Park, 2860 Palm Coast Pkwy. The City of Palm Coast welcomes the community to share a meaningful Memorial Day tribute to those who have lost their lives while serving their country. U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, who represents District 6, will speak. Rain Location: Fire Station 21 at 9 Corporate Drive Free and no registration required. More info: 386-986-2300.
♦ May 28: The Flagler County Opioid Task Force meets at 6 p.m. in the first-floor conference room at the Government Services Building
♦ May 29: The Blue Power 2020 forum, hosted by Mike Cocchiola, who heads the Flagler County Democratic Party, meets at 12:30 p.m. at the Democrats' office, 2 Office Park Drive, Suite D, all welcome. The weekly forum is intended to discuss local, state and national issues and to develop action plans to influence policy.
♦ May 30: Flagler Palm Coast High School and Matanzas High School hold graduation ceremonies at the Daytona Beach Ocean Center. Matanzas High School’s ceremony begins at 4 p.m. and Flagler Palm Coast High School’s starts at 7. Doors to the Ocean Center open one hour before the start of each ceremony. The student procession begins approximately 15 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony. Tickets for the ceremonies are free. However, both schools have a 10-ticket limit per student. There may be opportunities for additional tickets. Students will be notified and information is located on each school’s website. Parking passes are also available for pre-purchase. Parking is $5. security measures instituted last year will be in place this year. Please take note and be prepared before you head to the Ocean Center. There will be security checks before ticket holders are allowed entry into the ceremony. Watch livestreams of the ceremonies: Matanzas here, and FPC here.
♦ May 31-June 1, 2 and 8: American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Class – May 31-June 2 and June 8, Friday 5-6:30 p.m.; Saturdays and Sunday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Palm Coast Aquatics Center, 339 Parkview Drive. The American Red Cross Lifeguarding course provides entry-level knowledge and skills to prevent, recognize and respond to aquatic emergencies and to provide care for breathing and cardiac emergencies, injuries, and sudden illnesses until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel take over. For ages 15 and up. Cost is $200 (includes CPR mask and certification fee). Registration required at www.parksandrec.fun/aquatics. More info: 386-986-4741.
♦ June 1: The Palm Coast Arts Foundation hosts its First Saturday Creative Bazaar, an arts and crafts flea market. at 1500 Central Avenue in Town center. Arts foundation members and other vendors will have booths of goods for sale. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
♦ June 1: 2nd Annual Neighbors Helping Neighbors Golf Benefit for Homeless Animals: Neighbors Helping Neighbors is a local group of business professionals coming together to raise money for the Halifax Humane Society. Join us for 18-holes of premiere golf at the legendary LPGA International Golf Club. Shot gun start at 8 a.m. Registration at 7. 1000 Champions Drive Daytona Beach. To download entry form, visit https://www.halifaxhumanesociety.org/events/index and then scroll down to the golf outing listing. Hole Sponsorship $100. Single Player $125. Lunch Provided. For more information contact Gus Schutt (386) 233-5302.
♦ June 4: Daytona Tortugas Youth Baseball Clinic, 8:30 a.m-12 p.m. at Indian Trails Sports Complex, 5455 Belle Terre Pkwy., Palm Coast. The Daytona Tortugas will be teaching kids, ages 7-13, skills to improve their ball game in this coed baseball clinic. Grab your glove and bat and learn from the pros! Participants will receive a free ticket to a Daytona Tortugas game. $37/person. Registration required at www.parksandrec.fun/camps. More info: 386-986-2323.
♦ June 4: The Hammock Community Association meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Hammock Community Center on MalaCompra Road, with County Attorney Al Hadeed as speaker, who will present a History of the Hammock Part II.
♦ June 5: The Blue Power 2020 Action Forum, 12:30 p.m. at the Democrats' office, 2 Office Park Drive, Suite D. Come and join other progressive Democrats to discuss local, state and national issues, and propose actions to influence elected leaders. The Forum is open and informal and all opinions and ideas are welcomed. This is your opportunity to meet and lend your voice and knowledge to people who share your values. For more information, contact Mike Cocchiola, palmcoastdemocraticclub@gmail.com. The Blue Power forum meets every Wednesday.For events beyond this date, see the fuller Coming Days here.

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